Hollowed
by Sam the Wise
Summary: When Dipper's desperation drives him to make another deal with the demon, things can only go south.


"I don't think you fully realize what's going on right now!"

Dipper blinked; didn't he? Didn't he know what exactly what his body was doing right now? He scowled, "What I realize is that you're ruining my body!" His fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

If Bill had a mouth, he'd probably be smirking. "C'mon, kid! I'm right here! No way I'm anywhere _near_ your body! Haha- hey, look, if it makes you feel any better, your body's not possessed, just cursed," he made a point of looking down at the sickly aura encompassing Dipper's wandering body.

"Like that's any _better_!" Dipper seethed.

"Hey! No reason to raise your voice, kid. It's not like brainless down there can get into any _real_ trouble. Well, unless that sister of yours shows up."

As if on cue, Mabel burst through the door with a glitterfied poster in her hands, holding it out for Dipper's cursed body to see. She didn't seem to be able to see the aura, or notice the soulless look in his eyes. The way he turned towards his sister made Dipper's metaphorical blood run cold.

"Hey bro-bro, look what I made!"

"Mabel _no-_!"

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><p><em>His head turned at the sound of the young girl's voice, his blank eyes focusing intently on the space between her eyes. His mouth opened, as if to utter some unholy garble, but only a deepthroated grumble came out, followed by a hollow and toothy grin. <em>

_The girl didn't make a move to run, so he took his chance and stepped forward with both arms extended. "Where is it, sister?" _

_Mabel blinked in disappointment when he didn't comment on her poster and lowered it with a pout. "Where's what? Bro, I made this poster just for you! Don't you like it?"_

_He nodded, much too slow to be sincere or normal. "Where is it, Mabel? Please don't make this any harder than it needs to be."_

_Now she was confused- her brother wasn't making any sense! Not that he made much sense anyway, but now it was just getting ridiculous. "You really need to be more specific, Dipper! Are you asking where your underwear is? Oh! Maybe you lost your toothbrush and need me to help find it?" _

_He chuckled, but shook his head no. He knew it was not a toothbrush that he was looking for. It was much, much more important. He reached out for her and grabbed her by the shoulders, mildly startling her in the process._

"You okay, bro?"

_Was he okay? Well, he wasn't quite sure. He sure didn't feel okay. Hungry, too. He wasn't sure. He opened his mouth again, teeth bared in that awful faux smile. The hunger was certainly there, whispering into his head. Or was it telling him to stop…? It needed to be clearer._

"_No," he said. "Where's me…?"_

_He bit down on her shoulder, and drowned in his own ringing laughter._

* * *

><p>"No! Bill, what did you <em>do<em>?!"

Bill shrugged, "Me? I didn't do anything!. But it looks like your sister there is going to need some disinfectant, huh? Man- what did you even eat for breakfast? Did you shove it in the wrong way?"

Dipper's panic took hold of him as he watched the soulless body of his descend upon his sister like an enraged beast, ethereal tears building up in his eyes. He couldn't hear her screams, or his own words. Those were much too _outside_ of his current form for him to catch, but he knew what was going on. "How do I stop this?!"

"Hmm…" Bill tapped the space under his single eye. "Well, I could _maybe possibly_ clear your body of the curse, but that's going to require some _serious_ dealing."

"Anything!" Dipper exclaimed, holding out his hand for the demon to shake. "Anything you want, just put me back in my body- make this stop!"

Bill broke out into maniacal laughter. "Nah, kid, I have to give you the deal first. Here's how it's gonna be: I get to possess your body _whenever_ I want. For however long I want, and do to it whatever I wish."

"Wha-? Okay! Fine, but please! Mabel is going to _die_!" His plea was desperate, and the begging was not lost on Bill.

"Alrighty kid, but you've got to shake on it!" Bill extended his hand, lit with the blue flames of a binding contract. "This is permanent, kid. No going back once you've sealed this deal."

Without hesitation, Dipper took the demons hand and shook it firmly.

"Alrighty, kid! A deal's a deal- just stand back and let me do my work."

He rubbed his hands together and began drawing on the cursed aura of Dipper's body, drawing out the evil that had caused Dipper's departure from his vessel. The body's movements slowed and eventually collapsed beside an unconscious Mabel, twitching.

Levitating between Bill's hands was a dimly glowing swirl of green mist. "Hey, would you look at that. Not too bad a job, huh? Kid, I'll be watching. I'm only letting you back into your body so soon because it's too exhausted for me to inhabit. I can't function on no energy! So go, take your body- but I'm always just around the corner. Got it?"

Dipper cried out and nodded, lowering himself hastily into his motionless body.

His movement was way too slow when he returned to wakefulness and turned himself over to see his sister, his brain following far behind his movements. Mabel lay beside him, her poster discarded to the right and blood seeping through her nicely knit summer sweater. It had a cat on it, he noted.

"Ma… Mabel…?"

Dipper sat up sluggishly and pulled his sister towards him, checked for her pulse as he had been taught. Slow, unsteady, but there. In desperation, he called out for the help of the only person indoors at the moment.

"_Wendy_!"

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><p>"Dipper…?" Wendy's voice was hesitant and unsure, like Dipper would snap the moment she spoke with any sincerity. He didn't blame her. "Doctor says she'll be okay. Minor infection led to blood poisoning. Didn't lose as much blood as they initially thought, so she's just fine right now. They want to keep her here for the next few days to make sure she's alright," she paused and looked away. "Mentally and physically."<p>

Of course. She'd be scarred, wouldn't she? Her own brother chowing down on her throat like a rabid animal would surely leave its mark. She'd never look at him the same way again, would she? His tears began again, and this time they were physical.

"Hey-hey, sorry Dip. It's just… what happened there?"

Dipper looked away from her, his head lowered to hide his tears behind the brim of his hat. He didn't want to talk about it, and Wendy caught on instantly. She nodded and gripped his shoulder in a firm, comforting grip.

"It'll be alright."

She wasn't so sure of that herself, but Dipper would need the reassurance.

_Hahaha. What a doozy, huh? And here I was, thinking you loved your sister! What a joke!_

Dipper jumped violently out of his seat, his head swinging back and forth to find the source when he realized that it was right there, in his head. The sick laughter of a demon who'd gotten his way, who'd taken advantage of a lost child now in mourning for his sister.

_Don't be such a downer, kid._ Bill said, his voice echoing across Dipper's mindscape. I_t's not like she's dead or anything! You should be thankful I've hung around you all this time, or she'd really be dead meat!_ He laughed again until Dipper tried to clamp down on his mental voice to avoid provoking the invader.

_Aw come on! Giving me the silent treatment already? I saved her, didn't I? Well, I did most of the work, anyway. You were just along for the right, screaming your little head off- adorable!_

Dipper snarled, lashing out with his mental barriers to strike the invading demon. No effect, but it felt good. _Get out of my head!_ Dipper thought, his teeth grinding harshly.

_Mmm… no._

The flash of pain behind his eyes took him by surprise, and everything went red.

_Time for some exploring, don't you think? Ha-hahahahaha!_

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><p><strong>AN: This was written as a writing exercise to get my author juices flowing. I'll keep it unfinished for now, but I doubt I'll continue it.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**~Sam.**


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